Microsoft Previews Windows 8 for Tablets and PCs

[wackymacky]

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I like the hot air from the fan. Perhaps I'll write an app to utilize it: mobile hair-salon.

 

[iStudentUK]

Looks quite nice. Imagine it could work well on a touchscreen desktop computer for quick tasks. I'll be keeping an eye on this!

 

[iOSDave]

Consistency is why Apple rules

Everything on a Mac or iOS device is so awesome because of how consistent it is. Hands on experience is the only way to tell for sure, but this notion of switching between a metro UI and a more traditional interface for certain programs, and having multiple versions of the same program doesn't sound like great features to me. Tablet with a fan is a perfect example of why Apple's hardware coupled with software rules microsoft's model. Apple would never allow their killer software that they've worked hard on to be used on a piece of junk hardware product. Too much risk for a crap experience.

 

[brendu]

As soon as I can get this it is going to become my HTPC operating system and I cant wait! From the couch this will look SO much better than Windows7 does.

 

[Hastings101]

Awesome, can't wait to see the finished and polished product.

 

[Laird Knox]

how can I become a microsoft dev?

Sign up on the msdn website.

Haha, I was wondering the same thing... Then when you posted that I remembered that I have a full MSDN subscription. I can't wait until I kick this cold, my brain is mush these days.

 

[Slurpy2k8]

This definitely looks intriguing, and I'd love to give it a spin, but I think thisismynext.com sums it up pretty well- you're basically having to manage 2 OS versions on the same device. 2 control panels, 2 ie versions, etc. Oh, and you're running full desktop, unoptimized windows7 under everything- can't be good for efficiency or battery life.

If we’re going to be totally honest though, we’d describe Windows 8 right now as incoherent and contradictory. Touch response in the Metro UI is stellar, Contracts sound seriously useful, and snapping apps can make you more productive on a tablet, but whenever you want to get down and dirty with a traditional program, it’s back to the traditional desktop interface. There are two Control Panels, two versions of IE, and core apps are nowhere to be found (i.e. Mail, a camera app, etc.) Meanwhile, if you want to do anything with the desktop interface (save things you’ve actually planted on your desktop) you’ll probably find yourself thrown back to Metro since the traditional Start menu is gone. The whole user experience feels schizophrenic, with users having to jump back and forth between the two paradigms, each of which seem like they might be better off on their own. Still, as the title of the Microsoft show suggests, this is very much a work in progress and the apps and the tools are, well, still being built.

 

[coldmack]

Another fail boat waiting to sink, be because its using Wind'ohs, or an architecture that has seen less updates than my first cellphone. Please lets get to talking about the real Apple news and rumors, like when the glorious ARM based OSX laptops come out and gain 100% market shares!

 

[Peace]

Looks quite nice. Imagine it could work well on a touchscreen desktop computer for quick tasks. I'll be keeping an eye on this!

Everything from MS "looks quit nice". Their problem is actually putting it into reality.

 

[AppleDroid]

$800 for a MSDN subscription. or ask your employer to buy it.

I think Gartenberg said it best that they need to make that cost $0 and get everyone onboard NOW so apps are ready and polished on day 1 of its release.

Also I think the Metro UI has serious potential but I hate the use of the name, "charms". It's as bad as "magical".

 

[auero]

Competition is always good

 

[vrDrew]

Fan noise is very noticeable

That tells you everything you need to know about Windows 8 prospects.

If the noise were the only side-effect, it might not be that much of an impediment. But the fact that the sort of device capable of running Windows 8 on a tablet needs a fan at all speaks volumes about the baggage a hybrid desktop/tablet operating system is dragging with it. And so the tablet device is going to be warm to the touch, its going to have a short battery life (or be unwieldly and heavy). Its also going to cost as much as a good laptop - ie. its going to be at a price disadvantage to the iPad from day one.

Then you get into the practicalities: writing code that can also accept touch-input is going to mean code that going to be that much bulkier.

I applaud Microsoft for making the investment in creating a tablet-capable operating system. But trying to combine it with a desktop operating system is going to fatally compromise both platform's performance. Consumers have shown a willingness to deal with separate Operating Systems on their phones, PCs, and now tablets. Microsoft ought to have the confidence in their abilities and to create a good tablet-only (or tablet/phone) operating system.

 

[Lesser Evets]

FAN NOISE?!?... did I actually read that right? This thing has a fan? I wonder if the battery lasts 2 hours or if the device weighs 5 lbs. Something sounds very wrong.

 

[rwilliams]

Only Microsoft would deliver a tablet and OS that would require a fan and produces a lot of heat.

 

[kirk26]

The specs are certainly much better than the iPad 2. Very nice.

 

[room237]

LOOKS AWESOME!!!

 

[AppleDroid]

FAN NOISE?!?... did I actually read that right? This thing has a fan? I wonder if the battery lasts 2 hours or if the device weighs 5 lbs. Something sounds very wrong.

Yes and it's a year away from release. Pretty sure they are betting on Arm/Intel to make a fan-less chip by its actual release. That said it was funny.

 

[lilo777]

Another fail boat waiting to sink, be because its using Wind'ohs, or an architecture that has seen less updates than my first cellphone. Please lets get to talking about the real Apple news and rumors, like when the glorious ARM based OSX laptops come out and gain 100% market shares!

Yeap. Windows is a complete failure. I just do not understand why World prefers it to awesome OS/X (by a huge margin)

 

[0815]

so Windows 8 will run on both tablets and desktops. It has the mode with the tiles which is perfect for touch screens (but not that great for big desktop screens) and the 'classic' mode which is great for big desktop screens, but bad for small tablets. Applications run either in the one or the other. The 'Metro'/Tile mode is supposed to store things in the MS Cloud, the 'classic' mode can do the traditional. But really, what's the point to bundle that into one system? Sure, you can still run stuff from the mode that is not optimal for your machine type (slate or desktop) - but really, I don't get why I need both. Make a pure 'metro' version for slates and a pure 'classic' one for desktops. I don't think anybody wants to switch their desktop to 'Metro' to check twitter feeds and than switch back to classic to do real work. Also I don't think full desktop apps will be usable on a touchscreen slate.
But still think the 'Metro' looks promising for a slate/tablet.

 

[435713]

I look forward to trying it out. I like the live tiles and feel this is a greater leap than Lion. Also it comes on optical media day 1

 

[Vegasman]

This definitely looks intriguing, and I'd love to give it a spin, but I think thisismynext.com sums it up pretty well- you're basically having to manage 2 OS versions on the same device. 2 control panels, 2 ie versions, etc. Oh, and you're running full desktop, unoptimized windows7 under everything- can't be good for efficiency or battery life.

Maybe you should watch the keynote before spewing nonsense.

 

[AppleDroid]

Yeap. Windows is a complete failure. I just do not understand why World prefers it to awesome OS/X (by a huge margin)

Are you old enough to remember the 1990's? Look it up all the answers are there. Here's a tidbit: Bill Gates + Savvy Business Bullying = Monopoly.

 

[KPOM]

Honestly, this looks promising.

Unlike Lion, which is a load of crap.

I agree about Windows 8, but disagree about Lion. Lion has some bugs, but it is still a pretty advanced OS. We'll see further integration of iOS features in whatever comes after Lion. If Windows 8 hits a grand slam, then that just raises the bar for Apple.

 

[Vegasman]

FAN NOISE?!?... did I actually read that right? This thing has a fan? I wonder if the battery lasts 2 hours or if the device weighs 5 lbs. Something sounds very wrong.

Instead of wondering, do a bit of reasearch

 

[AppleDroid]

I agree about Windows 8, but disagree about Lion. Lion has some bugs, but it is still a pretty advanced OS. We'll see further integration of iOS features in whatever comes after Lion. If Windows 8 hits a grand slam, then that just raises the bar for Apple.

Agreed. Still running SL on my Mac Pro with no plan to upgrade anytime soon.